Thread: Extra hollow v. Half hollow

I prefer 6/8 and have quite a few of them, but Boker silver steel, which is extra hollow, always gives me trouble, and I find the blade pretty harsh. I wonder what your experience and thoughts are. Thanks

I only find them to be different. The flex of an extra hollow that has been properly honed can make shaving with it to be tantamount to wiping lather off with a feather. I don't find any grind to be more or less harsh, rather, if a razor has slightly dulled and I try to compensate with increased pressure, that is the only cause for a harsh shave for me.

Vintage Bokers are sweet shavers IME.

I agree it's only different. Any blade that feels harsh is screaming at you "hone me".

Extra hollow are my preferred blade, once honed correctly they are hard to beat. Shaved with a wedge and a half hollow this week, turns out they are hard to beat as well...

I'm with the rest of the posters. With a blade that is honed properly the grind does not matter, the shave will be good.

Bob

I personally prefer heavier grinds: half hollows and quarter hollows because they are easier to control for me and don't leave me with the nervous feeling that I'm going to cut myself since I need to compensate for the increased tug due to it not being heavy enough, even when properly honed?

If it's 'properly honed', there won't be any increased tug. I personally like both types of grind - they are different, but both will work extremely well with good edges and not very well otherwise.

Originally Posted by ShaveWares

I personally prefer heavier grinds: half hollows and quarter hollows because they are easier to control for me and don't leave me with the nervous feeling that I'm going to cut myself since I need to compensate for the increased tug due to it not being heavy enough, even when properly honed?

There should be no need to "compensate for the increased tug" if the full hollow is sharp enough to begin with.

Bob

Originally Posted by sqzbxr

If it's 'properly honed', there won't be any increased tug. I personally like both types of grind - they are different, but both will work extremely well with good edges and not very well otherwise.

With a thicker beard, a smaller, full-hollow grind razor has a degree of tugging, even when honed properly. I have found that when I use heavier razors, I don't get that.